Awning



' Aug. 3,1926. 1,594643 J. L. STUART AWNING Filed Oct. 1, 1924 INVENTOR- Jrf ZAQJ 4 64; 1-

BY Wo ATTORNEY;

Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNlTED STATES PATENT or-"Flea,

JOHN LENARD STUART, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

AWNING.

Application filed October 1, 1924. Serial No. 740,932.

My invention relates to awnings of the disappearing type. The principal object of my invention is to provide means for positively extending and retracting an awn- 5 ing. In awnings of the usual type, the

weight of the awning and its frame is relied 5 awnings, moreover, are liable to stick and require considerable manipulation to cause them to extend, especially when the joints of the frame become rusted by exposure to the weather.

My present invention, however, provides means for positively moving the awning both to retract and to extend it, the operating mechanism being actuated either manually or otherwise, as desired. This enables me to position the awning at any desired angle, without reference to the effect of gravity; it may be inclined, or horizontal, or even vertical, if such a position be desired, and in whatever position the awning may be placed, its operation, both in extending and retracting, is smooth and positive.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a positively operated awning which, when fully retracted, will occupy no more space than that provided in the usual recess formed in the building wall. There are no rods or other parts extending into the interior of the building, or down the front thereof, the entire frame of the awning folding, when retracted, into the recess.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an adjustable mounting, whereby the slope or inclination of the awning may be changed, within reasonable limits, without necessitating the replacement of the sup porting brackets.

For purposes of illustration, I have herein described and illustrated, as a typical embodiment of my invention, an awning capable of extension from a building wall at a slight inclination from the horizontal. It will be obvious, however, that the awning, when suitably mounted, may be extended in any direction, and that it may be made to occupy any of a great variety of positions,

without material change in its construction. It is to be understood, moreover, that the form and construction hereinv shown and.

described may be varied, within the limits of the claims hereto appended, without departing from the spirityof the invention as expressed in sald claims.

' With this in view a typical embodiment of my inventionwill now be fully described with'reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein y Fig. 1 is a part sectional broken plan view of my awning as mounted in a building wall. showing it in partly extended position.

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections taken in the direction of the arrows on the respective lines 2 2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a part-sectional detail of one of the frame-extending worms.

In the drawings, the reference designates a building wall, and 6 is the usual recess formed therein for the reception of the awning when retracted. The canvas or flexlble cover of the awning, represented by the broken lines 7, is wound upon a roller 8, which is carried upon a'rotatable shaft 9 mounted in brackets 10 secured within the recess 6. The roller 8 is resiliently connected with the shaft 9 by means of a helical spring 11 positioned within said roller. one

end-of said spring'being connected with a flange 12 secured to said roller, and the other end to a flange 13 secured to said shaft. Thus the roller may have'a limited amount of rotative movement relative. to said shaft, for a purpose to. be set forth hereinafterg The forward edge of the cover 7 is secured to a bar 14. A pair of toggle arms 15 are pivotally connected at 16 with said bar 14, and have their innerends pivotally connected with sle'evesl? which are slidably mounted upon a rod or shaft18'. Said shaft as shown in 2 and?) is parallel to the roller 8, and is rotatably mounted in the brackets 10. secondpair of toggle arms 19 Fig. 1 have their outer endspivotally connected at 20 with the arms 15 at the mid points of the latter; the length of the arms 19 bein half that of the arms 15. The

inner endsof the arms 19 are pivotally mounted-in brackets 21 secured to the main brackets 10.

It will be seen that the bar 14 is supported and connected with the building wall 5 by the arms 15 and 19 and the guide shaft or numeral 5.

rod 18 upon which the inner ends of said arms 15 :may slide. Any suitable mechanism may be provided for positively moving the bar 14 in and out and maintaining it parallel to said shaft '18 and the roller 8. For example, in the preferred form ofsuch mechanism herewith illustrated, the inner ends of the arms 19 are provided with gear segments 22, one of which is shown in Fig. tand said gear segments mesh with worms 23 secured upon the shaft1-8. Therefore, by rotating said shaft, the arms 19 are caused to swing, out or in as the case -,may

be, thereby moving the'bar '14 out or in,and I maintaining it in parallel relation to the shaft 18 and the roller '8. V

The shaft- 18 and the roller shaft '9 are connected together by .any suitable means, as forexample a pair of sprockets 24 and a connecting chain 25 as indicated in Fig. 3. Therefore, as the bar 141 moves out, away from-the building, theroller 8 is rotated. to

.unwind the cover 7, and vice-versa. The

various parts are so proportionech of course, as to pay out or wind up .thecanvasat the same rate as that of the movement of said bar 141, but any slightdilferential movement,

wheel 26, Figs. 1 and 3, secured upon the end of the shaft 9,, and engaged'by a worm 27 mounted on .axshort transverse shaft .28. The latter shaft iscshown as provided with .a sprocket 29 over which runs a chain indicated at 30 in Fig. 3. .Said chain maybe --o.perated manually, or by any desired means not shown.

In order to provide. adjustment of :the slope or inclinaton of the awning when extended, the brackets 21 by which the arms 19 are supported, have bearings about the shaft 18, .or more exactly, upon the hubs of the worms 23, as shown .at 31in Fig. 4t, andsaidbrackets are adjusta'bly secured by bolts 32, in arcuate slots 33, Fig. '3, formed in the main brackets 10,-said slots having the axis of the shaftlS as theircen'ters. Thus the brackets 21 may be swung, angularly, about the shaft 18, and the slope-orinclinationof the awning, when extended, varied accordingly.

It should be noted that, on account of the arrangement of the toggle arms 15 and 19, the front members or bar .14; of the awning may be moved in or out,- positively and smoothly, and that such movement maytake place equally well in any direction, irrespective ofthe effects of gravity. Thus the awning may be extended horizontally, or inclined upwardly or downwardly, or may even be extended vertically upward, if the supporting brackets 10 be properly positioned. It should also "be noted that the simultaneous operation of the frame extending provides a convenient, positive, and easily operated device for ext-endlng andretrac'ting the awning and for maintainmg the front member or bar 14 in parallel relation to the '.roller8.- This form of operating mechanism also lends itself very well. to-the ready adjustment of the slope or inclination of the awning, such adjustment being effected -with- 'out interferingin any way with said operating mechanism; Finally attention is directed to the fact that the entire awning and frame, when retracted, isl'completcl-y housed within the recess 6, there being" no rods or other members extending -.either into the building, or upon the face of its wall.

I claim:

1. An awning comprising .a fixed supporting member; a member movableabodily toward and away from said fixed member; a roller'associated with one of said members; a flexible cover wound upon said roller, :said cover having its outer edge secured to the other of said members; hinged arms extending between and COIIIIBQt-lllgSllCl.111G111- bers; means for positlvely moving said-movable :member toward and away from said fixed member; and a resilient driving connection between said movable member and said roller whereby; said. roller is rotated in timed relation -to the movementofsaid member.

2. A11 awning comprising .a .fixed supporting member; a member movable bodily toward and away from said fixed member; a roller associated with one of said members; a flexible cover wound upon said roller, said cover having its outer edge'secured to .the other of said members; hinged .arms extending between and connecting said members; means for positivelymoving said movable member toward ,andaway from said -fixed member; a rotatable shaft upon which said roller is mounted; a resilient connection between said roller and said shaft; and means for rotating said shaft in timed relation tothe movement of said movable mein- 12F ber.

3. An awning comprising a fixed supporting member; a member movable bodily toward and away from said fixedmember; a roller-associated with one of said members; a flexible cover wound upon said roller, said cover having its outer edge secured to the other of. said members; hinged arms extending between and connecting said members; means for positively moving said movable member toward and away from said fixed member; a rotatable shaft upon which said roller is mounted; a spring within said roller, one end of said spring being connected with said shaft and the other end with said roller; and means for rotating said shaft in timed relation to the movement of said movable member.

4:. An awning comprising a fixed support;

a roller associated therewith; a flexible cover wound upon said roller; a member to which the outer edge of said cover is secured, said member being movable bodily toward and away from said roller; a rotatable rod associated with said fixed member; a pair of arms having their outer ends pivotally connected with said member and their inner ends slidable upon said rod; a second pair of arms pivotally 7 connected with the first arms; gear segments secured to the inner ends of the second arms; worms upon said rod adapted to mesh with said gear segments; means for rotating said rod to move said member toward and away from said support; and means for rotating said roller to keep said cover taut.

5. An awning comprising a fixed support; a roller associated therewith; a flexible cover wound upon said roller; a member to which the outer edge of said cover is secured, said member being movable bodily toward and away from said roller; a rotatable rod associated with said fixed member; a pair of arms having their outer ends pivotally connected with said member and their inner ends slidable upon said rod; a second pair of arms p-ivotally connected with the first arms; gear segments secured to the inner ends of the second arms; worms upon said rod adapted to mesh with said gear segments; means for rotating said rod. to move said member toward and away from said support; and means for rotating said roller in timed relation to the rotation of said rod.

6. In an awning structure having a fixed support, a movable bar, and a flexible cover extending between them; an extensible frame for moving said bars comprising a pair of arms pivotally mounted upon said support; a second pair of'arins having their inner ends pivotally connected with the respective outer ends of the first arms'and their outer ends pivotally connected with said bar; and meansfor applying power to the inner ends of the first mentioned arms to extend and retract the frame.

7. In an awning structure having a fixed! support a movable bar, and a flexible cover extending between them; an extensible frame for moving sald bars comprismga pair of arms plvotally mounted upon sald support; a second pair of arms having their inner ends pivotally connected with the respective outer ends of the first arms and their outer ends pivotally connected with said bar; a gear segment fixed to the inner end of each of the first mentioned arms; worms mounted on the support and meshing with said gear segments; and means for rotating said worms to extend and retract the frame by swinging the first mentioned arms.

8. In an awning structure having a fixed support, a movable bar, and a flexible cover extending between them; an extensible frame for moving said bar comprising a guide mounted upon said support; a pair of arms hinged at their outer ends to said bar and having their inner ends slidable upon said guide; a second pair of arms respectively hinged at their outer ends to the central regions of the first arms and hinged at their inner ends to said support; and means for applying power to said second arms to operate said frame. s e 9. In an awning structure having a fixed support, a movable bar, and a flexible cover extending between them; an extensible frame. for moving said bar comprising a pair of spaced brackets fixed to said support; a guide extending between said brackets; a pair of arms hinged at their outer ends to said bar and having their inner ends slidable upon said guide; a bracket adiustably secured to each of said fixed brackets for vertical swinging movement about said guide as a center: and a second pair of arms respectively hinged at their outer ends to the central regions of the first arms and hinged at their inner ends to said adjustable brackets.

' 10. An awning comprising a pair of spaced fixed brackets; a roller journaled therein; a flexible cover wound upon said roller; a movable bar to which the outer edge of said cover is secured; a shaft extendingbetween said brackets parallel with said roller; a pair of arms hinged at their outer ends'to said bar and having their inner ends slidable upon said shaft; a. bracket adjust-ably secured to each of said fixed brackets for vertical swinging movement about said shaft as a center; and a second pair of arms respectively hinged at their outer ends to the central regions of the first arms and hinged at their inner ends to said adjustable brackets. V i In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN LENARD sTuAn'n 

